Welcome to Layton, Alabama. Population 11,000. Where the sweet tea runs through our veins, the air smells of cobbler, and the secrets lie so deep that not even the confessionals are safe anymore.My name is Sunny Gardner. And Layton is my home, or least it had been until Avery Dawson came into our lives. They say that evil comes in all forms, but nobody in Layton expected evil would come to us as a Baptist Minister who preached the Word, but lived a lie.This is my story. A story of struggle and triumph and, ultimately, how I saved myself and my community from the devil himself.

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Welcome to Layton, Alabama. Population 11,000. Where the sweet tea runs through our veins, the air smells of cobbler, and the secrets lie so deep that not even the confessionals are safe anymore.My name is Sunny Gardner. And Layton is my home, or least it had been until Avery Dawson came into our lives. They say that evil comes in all forms, but nobody in Layton expected evil would come to us as a Baptist Minister who preached the Word, but lived a lie.This is my story. A story of struggle and triumph and, ultimately, how I saved myself and my community from the devil himself.

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4.5 out of 5 stars
42 reviews

Cindy O

4.0 out of 5 starsShocking twists....

17 June 2016 - Published on Amazon.com

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**THIS IS NOT A ROMANCE** That being said its so worth the read even though it creeped me out more times than I care to admit. No, its not a thriller or about a serial killer. Its about a preacher who preys on vulnerable women and whose 17 year old step daughter makes it her life mission to bring his injustices out into the open.

The author chose to tell this story from both the 17 year old Sunshine Gardner's POV and the Minister, Avery Dawson POV. Yes, you get a front row seat to his sick twisted mind.

This mainly is Sunny's story from being an unhappy 17 year old high schooler who no longer gets along with her mom since she married her 3rd husband. She cannot stand Avery and when he tries to start imposing strict rules on her things get even worse at home for her. He also gives her the creeps and she has a feeling he isnt who he pretends to be.

There are a few shocking twist towards the end that leads up to one heck of a confrontation.

So finally, Andrea Smith gets a well-earned five stars from me. This was one of those books I went into totally blind, I didn’t even read the synopsis and actually I was glad I didn’t. This book totally side swiped me. Having been a seasoned Andrea Smith reader for many many years, I just read because I know that I am more than likely to like/love it, no matter what she turns her hand to. However, this was not the Andrea Smith I know and love, she delivered so much more and way out her normal box and I applaud her for doing so. I can easily say that this is my favourite Andrea Smith book thus far.

“I had a bad feeling about Avery Dawson-and it just kept getting worse.”

Southern Comfort is set in the small town of Layton Alabama, in the seventies, where everyone knows everyone and the community is brought together predominantly through church, Layton is literally bible belt country. Sunshine or Sunny as she is known is a teenage girl wanting to live a teenage life, she is sixteen going on seventeen and lives with her mum and step-father. Her mum, Donna is a bit of a doormat to be honest and after two failed marriages is determined to make sure this one survives. Being married to a minister, she has changed her whole personality befitting that of a minister’s wife even if it means to the detriment of her relationship with her daughter. This was a mother that put her husband before her daughter and I could have honestly slapped her for it, but at least Sunny had her brother even though he did live thousands of miles away.

“Because you see, Mama, I’m a daughter worth having. At least that’s what he thinks.”

Avery Dawson is the Baptist minister. Reverend Dawson was as evil as they come. Hiding behind the bible and twisting passages for his own personal warped gain. He was a fantastic villain and Andrea Smith penned him perfectly. He was the man that you instantly hated with a passion yet I found myself frantically awaiting his next point of view. How sick am I? This book is taboo, it covers abuse of power under the ruse of “counselling” and has every small time mum eating out of Avery’s sick and twisted palms. Yet every scene of “counselling” contained Andrea Smith’s trademark hot, intense sex scenes that you should hate, you should feel sick, you shouldn’t feel anything…right?

Avery was a very complex character, he was charismatic, charming and totally beguiling in his own vile, seedy way. He could pull the wool over anybody’s eyes and had done so easily to a lot of the population in Layton. He was an expert at manipulation, Machiavellian, deceitful, unscrupulous, narcissistic yet for some reason he was totally addictive. Avery may have pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes, including his wife, but Sunny was a totally different kettle of fish.

Sunny was an adorable character and her relationship with her best friend added some much needed humour to this story. Sunny was resilient though, she had been let down by most people in her life yet she hadn’t let it define her. She was inherently strong, intelligent and perceptive and in the beginning was the only person that could see Avery for the man he was and not who he was perceived to be.

“…we hatched out a plan that would not only save her marriage with Eddie, but take Avery down in the community. Little did I know the ramifications would be farther reaching than that for me.”

Sunny was determined to “out” Avery for the vile human that he was, but at what cost? Andrea Smith penned a story that will have you frantically turning the pages, angst, tension, suspense is prevalent throughout and only adds to the addictiveness that is Southern Comfort. Where small minded folk pull together to save themselves rather than face the truth, where hypocrisy is rife and the life of a teenager is inconsequential. Will the see the light or will Sunny be forced to live in the dark? I cannot recommend this read highly enough, while religion for some may be off-putting this is so much more than that. Yes, it plays its part, but the suspenseful ride is what carries this story and one that I won’t be forgetting for a while.

“…I hope you remember this for a long time to come. You may preach chapter and verse of the Bible, but by God, I’ve not seen many of you living it!”

Seriously, don't question it, just buy it and read it. Be prepared for a marathon read. You will not want to put it down.

The blurb really intrigued me. I am always for books with some religious slant, especially the gritty ones. So glad I preordered this one.

This is a story about Sunny, a teen in 1979. Her mom is quite codependent upon men in her life (and there seem to be plenty coming and going). When her mom marries Avery, the Baptist minister, Sunny's life gets turned upside down. Sunny knows something is not right with him. When she discovers exactly what is going on, she attempts to rectify the situation. Unfortunately, this backfires and she is essentially forced from town. While away, she grows up a little and with the help of others returns for justice.

Avery is like that train wreck you just can't stop watching. He is all kinds of evil and you are left biting your nails watching it all go down. In the end you are left hanging on to hope that he will get what he deserves.

This is a gritty, intriguing, angst filled read which I just could not put down. The author states there is an element of truth to this tale which only drives the interest higher.

This book is so different from what Andrea Smith has written before and it is marvelous! I hated to take a second away from it. From the first page I was enthralled with the characters and their lives. I needed to know what was going to happen next. At one point I did have to stop reading and take a shower and even then I was thinking about the storyline. It was then I had an 'AHHHHAA' moment. I had to hurry my shower up and all of my other daily chores so I could get back to my book wondering I were right. :) I was by the way. haha ... Honestly this book was such a nice, refreshing change from all the books I had been reading lately. It had such a depth about it that I was evidently missing. Loved it!!

I first read this author with her Baby Love series. It is OFF THE CHARTS good. Trey and Tyler's story was AMAZING and the way Andrea writes it is phenomenal. Because of this experience I was more than eager to pick up Southern Comfort. OMG this book and storyline is unique and will blow your mind. Its the kind of book you read and then days later you are still staying WOW that was intense and sooooooo good. If you haven't read her Baby Love series. BUY IT NOW there is nothing like it and the experience you will have with it. Also read Southern Comfort and get more writing and storyline that is amazing. You will be glad you did.